Bilge Pumps, Lights, & More...by Mark Armstrong

Here is a description of the bilge pump I installed on my NuCanoe. I got everything at Walmart.

The hose kit has a fitting that will not work out of the sack because of the taper on the transom of the boat.  The lock nut will not lay flat when tightened down with the factory fitting.  I turned a taper on the fitting from the outside to the threads so that the fitting will float inside the transom hole but not pull thru.  This allows the lock nut to lay flat on the transom on the inside of the boat.  The back of my trolling motor mount covered the transom hole therefore the exhaust from the bilge pump.  I spotted the inside of the motor mount thru the transom hole and then removed the trolling motor.  At the marked spot I ran a 1/4" hole there.  Next i took a unibit and opened the hole larger than the exhaust tube to allow the water to flow thru the trolling motor mount.

My battery box is one I assembled from various parts. It has a trolling motor plug and a 12v power receptacle. I have a switch on the side of the box to open and close the circuit on the 12v supply. I put a regular 12v plug on the bilge pump so I can easily remove the pump and easily re-install and plug back in. I do not always have a big battery and trolling motor with me. You can run the bilge pump if desired on a 12v lantern battery.

Everything in my boat is modular and easily rigged and un-rigged to meet my needs for the day. Hope this helps. I have found the pump to be a great addition to my boat. I am in and out of the boat constantly wade fishing. I drag water into the boat by the buckets-full with my wading boots. It is really nice to just flip a switch and pump it back out.

My next big project is to run a power supply from the back of the boat to the front. I am wanting lights on the boat for getting across the lake in the pre-dawn for duck hunting. A company down the road from me makes marine electrical harnesses. I have contracted a few projects for them in the past and they have agreed to make me a special wiring harness. Did I mention that I am going to run it inside the hull with plugs for the running lights just like a bass boat. I will have a switch and another 12v power supply at my fingertips.

My bass boat is starting to get extremely jealous of the NuCanoe. I have only had it on the water once since May.